Improve income security

A fair pension system is essential to make sure that all older people are secure. While pensions in many countries have grown in recent years, in most low-income countries only about 20% of older people have a pension.

The marginalised and those who live in poverty are often excluded from pension schemes. Women are less likely to receive a pension, and if they have one, their benefits tend to be lower.

Pensions are tied to formal employment, which can exclude older people who have worked all or most of their lives in informal jobs or cared for others.

Older womens' lives can be transformed by social protection policies and programmes, providing stability and dignity, contributing to a fairer and more inclusive world.

Yemen is enduring one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world, with older people among the hardest hit.

Transforming the lives of older people in urban Kenya by improving income security, healthcare access, and digital literacy.

In Indonesia, jobs related to nature-based solutions in agriculture and forestry play an important role in supporting the green economy. These help the environment and create jobs. But many challenges remain.

Andrew Kavala, executive director of Malawi Network of Older Persons’ Organisations (MANEPO), a member of the HelpAge global network, has been appointed to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.

ASRSP plays a pivotal role in this mission, offering timely support that helps communities not just survive but thrive in the face of adversity.

Malawi passed The Older Persons’ Bill, marking a monumental leap forward for the country's ageing population.

HelpAge International has been selected as one of the recipients of Irish Aid funding, receiving an allocation from the Irish Government.

HelpAge International has announced the appointment of Rhea Tariq as its new Director of Global Impact.

Our new policy report offers suggestions on how to move towards social protection programmes that, when correctly applied, can be transformative.

We are attending CSW68 to raise the profile of older women and demand their inclusion in the global gender movement.

With the close of 2023 approaching, we take a moment to reflect on our endeavours this year.

A research study on businesses and working conditions of older women entrepreneurs in Central Java, Indonesia.

As we mark World Food Day on 16 October, we take a look at the challenges facing older people in low- and middle-income countries as they struggle to fulfill one of the most essential of human rights: the right to food.

Housing woes, income insecurity and healthcare obstacles amongst top priorities.

Gender disparities, healthcare obstacles, and food insecurity among urgent concerns.

Health and care systems worldwide are unprepared for a world where, by 2030, the global population aged 60 or over is projected to reach 1.4 billion, with the majority being female

Involving older people in policy formulation and review in Lebanon

We look at the impact of the global food, fuel and finance crisis in Colombia, and what this means for older people who are often overlooked.

HelpAge staff member in Uganda, Joseph Mugisha Bitature passed away on Thursday 8 June.

Social pensions can help provide a much-needed safety net for older people who may otherwise be left without any income.

A global food, fuel and finance crisis is resulting in millions of people being driven into poverty and hunger, affecting populations worldwide.

Lebanon is facing its worst crisis in the 21st century

Yemen experiencing the aftermath of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

The Philippines is not new to struggling through one crisis after another. However, the relentless shocks brought about by climate change-related disasters, combined with recent economic blows including the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, have plunged the country into inflation, debt, and crisis.

By Carole Ageng'o

Older women, people over 70, and older people with disabilities at greater risk.

Two years after the military coup in Myanmar, older people share stories of coming together to support each other and their families despite difficulties created by the new regime.

Food insecurity in Ethiopia is one of the worst in the world. Some major events have contributed to this phenomenon.

Almost 74 per cent of Malawians live below the national poverty line.

The impact of the global food, fuel and finance crisis in Mozambique, and what this means for older people who are often overlooked.

This project looks at the impact of the global food, fuel and finance crisis in ten different countries, and what this means for older people who are often overlooked, despite their very specific needs.

Over the next few months, we will be looking at the impact of the global food, fuel and finance crisis in 10 different countries, and what this means for older people who are often overlooked despite their specific needs.

HelpAge International's Ukraine Humanitarian Response Manager, Orla Murphy, reflects on the past six months of full-scale war in Ukraine and the plans ahead to respond to the longer-term needs of those embroiled in a protracted war.

Everyone living in Ukraine has felt the impact of this war, but in a country where one in four people is over 60, the impact on older persons, including those with disabilities, has been dramatic.

Millions of older people caught up in the war in Ukraine are being overlooked in the humanitarian response, despite making up a quarter of the country's population.

A new report by HelpAge International and the International Labor Organisation draws on the testimonials of older people who convey the severe hardships they face because of the lack of an adequate social protection system in Lebanon.

The war in Ukraine has destroyed everybody's lives regardless of who they are.

After the first meeting of the UN Generation Equality Campaign in Mexico, HelpAge is appealing to leaders, civil society and feminist movements not to side-line older women if they want to achieve the desired progress towards gender equality.

Activists will demand urgent action for a UN convention for the rights of older people at a global UN meeting on ageing today, amid evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has brutally exposed systemic ageism and the dangerous lack of protection of older people's human rights.

The COVID-19 pandemic affects all of us but has the greatest impact on those already experiencing poverty, poor health and discrimination.

As Zanzibar celebrates the first anniversary of its universal pension scheme, HelpAge International is calling on African governments to implement similar social protection initiatives.

Everyone in Kenya over the age of 70 will be entitled to a new, guaranteed monthly income after the country's Cabinet Secretary of Finance Henry Rotich announced the launch of a universal pension in January 2018.

Older men and women in Zanzibar will have a government-funded universal pension for the first time today (15 April).

The first government funded universal pension in East Africa is to be launched in Zanzibar this Friday (15 April).

Presidential and parliamentary candidates in Tanzania have been challenged to state their views and prospective policies affecting older people before polling day.

Older people in Bangladesh are particularly at risk of climate change impacts and have adopted various coping strategies to deal with the impacts of hazards and disasters.

Only half of Jordan’s population aged 60 years or older are part of formal pension schemes.

Only half of Jordan’s population aged 60 years or older are part of formal pension schemes.

Addressing the barriers limiting older people’s choice to remain economically active in Zambia

Snapshot of findings from the AFD INUA JAMII 70+ project

Decent work among older people engaged in nature-based solutions in Indonesia

Decent work among older people engaged in nature-based solutions in Indonesia

Designing adaptive and shock-responsive social protection to guarantee the rights of older people

Experiences of older rural women entrepreneurs in Central Java

Learning from the experiences of older Ukrainian refugees in Poland

Learning from the experiences of older Ukrainian refugees in Poland

Older people in crisis in Argentina: an urgent need for action

This needs assessment report on the situation of older people in Myanmar, with emphasis on income, health, food security, and protection issues.

Older people in crisis in Colombia: an urgent need for action

Strengthening the Palestinian pension system and ensuring basic income security for all older women and men.

Older people in crisis in Lebanon: an urgent need for action

The study identifies how social security systems are adapted to protect older people in mixed migratory movements.

The impact of the global food, fuel and finance crisis on older people

Older people's lives at risk: Addressing the crisis in Ethiopia.

Older people in urgent need of support in Malawi.

Older people's lives at risk: Addressing the crisis in Mozambique

Sri Lanka's economic crisis hits older people hards - an urgent call for action.

Action needed for Tanzania's older people in crisis.

Older people in crisis in Yemen: an urgent call for action

Older people's lives at risk.

HelpAge International is looking for an experienced consultant for its assignment: Learning and capitalisation process: CSO and Trade Union network building on Social Protection

Este documento proporciona a los gobiernos, al personal de HelpAge International, a los miembros de la red y a los asociados mensajes clave para hacer incidencia a favor de la inclusion efectiva de las personas mayores en la planificacion de la preparacion y las respuestas que estan en marcha frente a la pandemia COVID-19 en el contexto de los pagos de pensiones.

This document provides governments, HelpAge International staff, network members and partners with key messages to advocate for the effective inclusion of older people in preparedness planning and ongoing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of pension payments.

This brief sets out to provide a concise analysis of the state of Lebanon's social protection system in the context of the ongoing economic and social crisis, with a particular focus on the ability of the country's social protection system to ensure income security in old age for all Lebanese.

This brief sets out to provide a concise analysis of the state of Lebanon's social protection system in the context of the ongoing economic and social crisis, with a particular focus on the ability of the country's social protection system to ensure income security in old age for all Lebanese.

This paper aims to present a concise yet comprehensive argument for the importance of old age social pensions as an effective, efficient and affordable policy to achieve income security, and reduce poverty and inequality in older age.

This report presents findings from a desk study on how national social protection programmes have promoted social cohesion and national reconciliation in post-conflict contexts internationally.

The report outlines the results from the impact evaluation of the Zanzibar Universal Pension Scheme (ZUPS).

Our Annual report and financial statements presents a review of our activities and achievements in 2018/19.

This study evaluates the impact of Malawi's Social Cash Transfer Programme on poverty, human development, wellbeing and dignity in older age and on older people headed households.

This policy brief looks at how universal social pensions can provide income security for all older people in Myanmar.

Ageing on the move - Report - Spanish

Ageing on the move - Policy Brief - Spanish

Ageing on the move - Policy Brief - English

This is the HelpAge Management Response to the Sida Evaluation Report, including action plans in response to the 14 specific recommendations outlined in the report.

This indepdendent report assesses progress against our 2015-2018 funding agreement with Sida, the relevance, effectiveness and sustainability of our strategy implementation model, and recommendations towards HelpAge's strategy beyond 2020. A copy of the full evaluation report is available upon request via info@helpage.org

This case study is part of the Unblocking Results case study series,an ODI research project on aid and governance constraints. Unblocking Results seeks to gather evidence on whether, and how well, aid can help to resolve or mitigate governance problems that often hinder the delivery of broad-based public services in developing countries.

This is the Burmese translation of a summary of the findings of an evaluation report on a pilot electronic cash transfer programme in Myingyan in central Myanmar.

This is a summary of the findings of an evaluation report on a pilot electronic cash transfer programme in Myingyan in central Myanmar.

This report presents the findings from the process evaluation of HelpAge International's Electronic Cash Transfer Intervention Pilot in Myingyan township, Mandalay Region, Myanmar.

This report shares learning on how HelpAge International strengthened voice and accountability approaches in social protection in Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda and Zanzibar.